Cleaning with Citrus and Other Edibles

Cleaning with citrus in your home is an all-natural way to create a safe, non-toxic house while leaving a fantastically fresh scent at the same time. There are many ways to clean using citrus and other natural herbs that you wouldn’t expect. Check out all the different ways you can use fresh citrus and other herbs to sanitize and freshen your home!

For an all-purpose, antibacterial citrus cleaner:

Fill a jar with your favorite citrus peels such as orange, lemon, lime and/or grapefruit (dried or fresh) along with your favorite herbs. You can use fresh mint, oregano, or other fragrant herbs, depending on your preference.

Fill the jar with vinegar and seal tight.

Leave out to infuse for 1-2 weeks.

After two weeks, combine one part vinegar fruit concoction and two parts water into a spray bottle and shake well.

You can then use as an all-purpose cleaning solution for bathrooms, kitchens, children’s toys and floors. Note: For woods floors, test a small area before cleaning the entire room to make sure the solution is not too strong for your specific wood and finish.

For your dishwasher: Try leaving a half of lemon or orange in the bottom of your dishwasher. This will leave a fresh scent on your clean dishes. Also, if you want some extra grease fighting, add a teaspoon of lemon juice in with your detergent. The acid in the fruit will help dissolve leftover grease or food stains. You can also manually scrub grease and caked on food with a half of a lemon.

For the laundry: use lemon juice as a substitute for a gentle bleach to brighten whites. You can also use lemon juice as a great spot cleaner for underarm or other mild stains. Just simply massage the lemon juice in as soon after the stain occurs as possible, and let soak in warm water for 5 minutes. Wash in cold water afterwards.

For wood furniture: Combine 1 part lemon juice with 2 parts olive oil to make a natural and safe polish for your wood furniture.

Using citrus and other foods and herbs is a great, cost effective way to clean your house. Not only will it leave a fresh scent, but the chemicals are safe and natural for children to be around.